(VOVworld) - UN Syria Envoy Staffan De Mistura said Thursday that peace talks will continue next week despite the withdrawal from the negotiating table.

Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva. (Photo: Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

In an interview with French-language Radio Television Suisse (RTS), De Mistura said it was necessary to continue peace talks and effect the ongoing ceasefire and he will ask sponsoring countries to meet.

He added that 400,000 people have been killed in the five-year-old war, far higher than the previous UN toll which has varied from 250,000 to 300,000.